Ok. Let me tell you in the beginning itself that learning French is not an easy task. Although it shows close similarity with French, but you if listen and try to understand French with your English background then you will totally fail. To learn a language like French, it's a must that you join special classes where you are taught the real and actual pronunciation of the words.
I wanted to learn join some such class after landing in Paris. But things didn’t worked out although I tried a lot. With time I gave up plans to learn French and was managing with simple words like Bon jour and merci, which you have to use atleast 15-20 times in a day.
But later on when I made some friends, I decided to learn French in a different way managing my busy schedule.
So I told my colleagues to teach me some sentences whenever possible. I will learn them. This way I will learn some sentences plus I will get introduced in a quick and easy way to sentence formation and pronunciation of different words. So even if I learn say 30 sentences, then i am introduced to some 30 verbs which is quite enough to make simple sentences and convey your message.
In this my friend Yasmine started helping me to begin with. With time some more names added with Edith, David, Amy started giving inputs from their side. But as is the case, consistency is very much necessary to make something successful. My busy schedule in between time drifted me away from this practise and it is foolish ness to expect it from others when you yoursel are not upto it.
But recently Yasmine realised this gap and tried reinitiating the practise. But i had lost the path totally. She soon realised that all her efforts are going in vain with me failing to recollect simple sentences and words.
So last week she scared me with the fear of taking an exam. This struck me badly since it has been long time I appeared for any exam. I tried to avoid it some or other way but Yasmine is a tough person to deal with. She along with Edith set up an exam for me and scheduled it for today. I was supposed to sit and prepare for exam on week end but as always is the case, fell asleep all the time i opened my written French notes. People normally have Monday blues, but today morning I had Monday black, blue white, yellow, red and all others you can think of. It was not just the fear of exam that was in but the fact that everybody in the group had come to know about my exam. Infact on Friday everybody tried to make me realize that I had an exam on Monday.
Monday morning was no different. I was feeling all the eyes on me. Everybody wished me good luck on the coffee table. Yasmine was not present on the table. I thought , maybe she is not well and not coming or very busy in work and wont get time to take my exam. But later on I realized that the exam is inevitable. Most of the group members had spend some time setting up question paper fo me. Every body had it except for me. So, if not Yasmine, somebody else would have made me take my exam.
I guess you can make out the kind of tension building up on me. Infact , when i went for lunch, the lady at the counter asked me some routine question. But I heard it as if she is asking, “Are you ready for the exam? ”Was I imagining or was it real?
I think then she understood that I am under a big stress so she asked me just move ahead. Even I moved ahead with out trying to understand what she really asked. I guess you also must have been through this situation at some point of the time.
And then it was the time. Professor Yasmine entered my office. She commanded me to keep all the notes away. Put off the monitor. She changed the password so that I can’t login. Gave me the paper and told me what I have to do. Well i guess that was not enough so she told me that you have only 20 mins to solve the paper and half hour as mentioned and made David keep a check on me. I even doubt she had arranged for some cameras in some corners of my office. I tried to search them through the corner of my eyes but couldn’t find any in that tensed situation. One relief given was spelling mistakes were totally allowed, since this was not the exam of my writing skills.
I tried my best to solve the paper and was writing till the last fraction of last second of last minute when yasmine barged into the office and snatched it out of my hands busy writing those last few important words which you remember only in finishing moments.
So, there my paper was gone and I was waiting for results. Did I tell you the options for my fate after the result. I had to score atleast 10 marks out of 20 to avoid any embarrassing situation. If less than 10, then I am vulnerable to any punishment coming my way. And if more than 10 and efforts appreciated then I may get!!! Yes may get some gift for encouragement.
Well the results were out soon and I am posting the corrected paper here.Yes!!!! I scored 18 out of 20. The two examiners came in my office with the result sheet. Check my performance.
If you haven’t understood last few words in my essay on 2nd page end, I will explain. Towards the end, I wrote in the essay that “the paper was very difficult and not at all simple. And I need a coffee now and that is very urgent”. Well thats what I meant to write. What I actually wrote might be different in meaning. But I guess the examiner understood what i wanted to write, because they came with a cup of coffee in their hand for me.
Professor Yasmine and Professor Edith honoured me with these instant gifts.
They also mentioned that since it was totally unexpected result so they were not prepared with the gift today. This is a compensatory gift and you shall get your real gift tomorrow.
So friends, I am done with my exam. I am going to sleep imagining about the possible gift coming my way. The night after exam and result is so calm. I am going it enjoy it after a long long time.
I wanted to learn join some such class after landing in Paris. But things didn’t worked out although I tried a lot. With time I gave up plans to learn French and was managing with simple words like Bon jour and merci, which you have to use atleast 15-20 times in a day.
But later on when I made some friends, I decided to learn French in a different way managing my busy schedule.
So I told my colleagues to teach me some sentences whenever possible. I will learn them. This way I will learn some sentences plus I will get introduced in a quick and easy way to sentence formation and pronunciation of different words. So even if I learn say 30 sentences, then i am introduced to some 30 verbs which is quite enough to make simple sentences and convey your message.
In this my friend Yasmine started helping me to begin with. With time some more names added with Edith, David, Amy started giving inputs from their side. But as is the case, consistency is very much necessary to make something successful. My busy schedule in between time drifted me away from this practise and it is foolish ness to expect it from others when you yoursel are not upto it.
But recently Yasmine realised this gap and tried reinitiating the practise. But i had lost the path totally. She soon realised that all her efforts are going in vain with me failing to recollect simple sentences and words.
So last week she scared me with the fear of taking an exam. This struck me badly since it has been long time I appeared for any exam. I tried to avoid it some or other way but Yasmine is a tough person to deal with. She along with Edith set up an exam for me and scheduled it for today. I was supposed to sit and prepare for exam on week end but as always is the case, fell asleep all the time i opened my written French notes. People normally have Monday blues, but today morning I had Monday black, blue white, yellow, red and all others you can think of. It was not just the fear of exam that was in but the fact that everybody in the group had come to know about my exam. Infact on Friday everybody tried to make me realize that I had an exam on Monday.
Monday morning was no different. I was feeling all the eyes on me. Everybody wished me good luck on the coffee table. Yasmine was not present on the table. I thought , maybe she is not well and not coming or very busy in work and wont get time to take my exam. But later on I realized that the exam is inevitable. Most of the group members had spend some time setting up question paper fo me. Every body had it except for me. So, if not Yasmine, somebody else would have made me take my exam.
I guess you can make out the kind of tension building up on me. Infact , when i went for lunch, the lady at the counter asked me some routine question. But I heard it as if she is asking, “Are you ready for the exam? ”Was I imagining or was it real?
I think then she understood that I am under a big stress so she asked me just move ahead. Even I moved ahead with out trying to understand what she really asked. I guess you also must have been through this situation at some point of the time.
And then it was the time. Professor Yasmine entered my office. She commanded me to keep all the notes away. Put off the monitor. She changed the password so that I can’t login. Gave me the paper and told me what I have to do. Well i guess that was not enough so she told me that you have only 20 mins to solve the paper and half hour as mentioned and made David keep a check on me. I even doubt she had arranged for some cameras in some corners of my office. I tried to search them through the corner of my eyes but couldn’t find any in that tensed situation. One relief given was spelling mistakes were totally allowed, since this was not the exam of my writing skills.
I tried my best to solve the paper and was writing till the last fraction of last second of last minute when yasmine barged into the office and snatched it out of my hands busy writing those last few important words which you remember only in finishing moments.
So, there my paper was gone and I was waiting for results. Did I tell you the options for my fate after the result. I had to score atleast 10 marks out of 20 to avoid any embarrassing situation. If less than 10, then I am vulnerable to any punishment coming my way. And if more than 10 and efforts appreciated then I may get!!! Yes may get some gift for encouragement.
Well the results were out soon and I am posting the corrected paper here.Yes!!!! I scored 18 out of 20. The two examiners came in my office with the result sheet. Check my performance.
If you haven’t understood last few words in my essay on 2nd page end, I will explain. Towards the end, I wrote in the essay that “the paper was very difficult and not at all simple. And I need a coffee now and that is very urgent”. Well thats what I meant to write. What I actually wrote might be different in meaning. But I guess the examiner understood what i wanted to write, because they came with a cup of coffee in their hand for me.
Professor Yasmine and Professor Edith honoured me with these instant gifts.
They also mentioned that since it was totally unexpected result so they were not prepared with the gift today. This is a compensatory gift and you shall get your real gift tomorrow.
So friends, I am done with my exam. I am going to sleep imagining about the possible gift coming my way. The night after exam and result is so calm. I am going it enjoy it after a long long time.
